Rotateller Rotary Club of Owego, NY
Tuesday, January 02, 2007 Gary Williams, Editor

VISITORS AND GUESTS:

• Laura’s son, Timothy, and his significant other, Kristin
• Laura Botzenhart and daughters Lindsey and Corrine
• Lilly, from Arkansas (gunfighter?)
• Irene Moon

HAPPY 39TH BIRTHDAY TO PAUL!

MUSIC:

Carl and Carolyn led us in the together song – a good way to start the year.

FINES:

Orv fined us on our knowledge from The Rotarian (and he won the 50/50 again this week!)

POINSETTIAS:

congratulations to Bill and the Club for profits anticipated to be approximately $3000.

TREADWAY EMPLOYEES CHRISTMAS PARTY:

January 21, 2007

BROOME LITERACY VOLUNTEERS:

An envelope was passed around for donations. They are also interested in people who can donate hours.

DISTRICT ASSEMBLY:

April 21 (Saturday) in Sidney High School

DISTRICT CONFERENCE:

May 4-6 at Turning Stone including our district and 7120 from Rochester and 7190 from Albany It will be $598/couple for two nights including meals.

EXCHANGE:

Suzanne and Mrinalini had a busy week. Suzanne went to Erie with Richard and Jim and Richard shared that Suzanne won over Richard’s brother who usually doesn’t speak with anyone. The girls also spent time together. Mrinalini went to Buffalo and Niagara Falls (cold this time of the year) and she also got to see the BU/Syracuse girls’ game.

As is so often the case, we had a very interesting conversation at the table today (and I know that Orv stimulated an interesting conversation at the next table.) Much of our conversation revolved around President Ford. Some of us couldn’t remember because we were too young. One of us was a Canadian citizen at the time and wasn’t following our problems so closely. Richard Reeves wrote A Ford, Not a Lincoln, which severely criticized the President. He later retracted many of his statements and apologized. When we were discussing this over Christmas, it came out that our four children were each born under a different President.

PROGRAM:

Laura introduced Mrinalini who looked exceptional in her tradition attire. She has been dancing since she was 5. First she learned many of the steps. The dance she performed for us is the first one she learned, but now knows six. It took her several hours to get ready. She would usually have her mother’s assistance.

Laura and Mrinalini told us about the Bindi, which symbolizes the third eye for the Hindu. It is the eye of God. It prevents people from being able to read your mind. Mrinalini’s name would not be in the order she writes it in the US. The family name would come first, then her given name, and then her father’s name.

The dance she performed (to the Elephant God) is the oldest dance in India (how old?) and comes from southern India. Some of the dance is descriptive of the God and some of it is just to the music. For those of you who were not there, even seeing a video would not do it justice. It is extremely expressive including eye movements, expressions, hand movements, foot movements and the bodily movements of the dance. I was disappointed to miss Lindsey’s pictures last week and glad that I did not miss this!

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